An Ohio grandfather charged in connection with the alleged neglect of 16 children found living in severely unsanitary conditions has been declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Gary Siders Sr., 73, appeared in a Vinton County courtroom on September 9, where Judge Laina Fetherolf Rogers accepted the findings of a psychological evaluation concluding that he was unable to understand the court proceedings or meaningfully assist his attorneys in his defense. The report also found that his condition was “not restorable,” meaning treatment is not expected to restore him to competency.

Siders appeared at the hearing in a wheelchair. His attorney, Dorian Baum, said his client’s mental and physical condition had been declining for years and that the evaluation’s conclusion was not unexpected.

The competency decision does not determine whether Siders is guilty or innocent. Instead, it concerns whether he is currently mentally capable of participating in a criminal trial.

Siders Faces 16 Child Endangerment Charges

Siders Sr. had been indicted on 16 counts of child endangerment, including 10 third-degree felony counts and six misdemeanor counts, according to local reports.

The charges followed the June 30 discovery of 16 children at a rural property in Hamden, Ohio, about 80 miles south of Columbus.

Authorities entered the property while executing a search warrant connected to a separate investigation. Investigators said they discovered children ranging in age from approximately 18 months to 18 years living in what officials described as deplorable conditions.

Officials said many of the children had largely been confined to a small area of the home and were not enrolled in school. Authorities also reported serious concerns about sanitation, development and the children’s medical conditions.

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain previously described an extreme presence of human waste inside the residence and said some of the children appeared unable to communicate normally.

The children were removed from the property and placed into county custody.

Four Family Members Were Charged

Gary Siders Sr. was one of four members of the family arrested following the discovery.

His wife, Christina Siders, their son Gary Siders Jr., and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Siders, the children’s mother, were also charged in connection with the conditions in which the children were allegedly living.

Gary Jr., Elizabeth and Christina were each indicted on 19 child-endangerment charges, while Gary Sr. faced 16 counts. The other defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Gary Jr. and Elizabeth also face separate charges stemming from allegations involving sexual conduct with a minor. Those allegations arose from an investigation separate from the conditions in which the 16 children were discovered.

Doctors Say Siders Is Unlikely to Regain Competency

The evaluation of Gary Siders Sr. determined that his cognitive condition had deteriorated to the point that he could not adequately understand the charges against him or assist his defense team.

Prosecutor William Archer did not object to the competency findings during the hearing.

Baum said afterward that the medical evaluation concluded his client’s condition was not restorable, making it unlikely that Siders could become competent to stand trial in the future.

The attorney said he expected the criminal charges against Siders Sr. to eventually be dismissed because of that finding.

However, prosecutors could seek a civil commitment that would place him in a treatment or care facility rather than pursue the criminal case.

Cases Against Other Family Members Continue

The competency ruling applies only to Gary Siders Sr. It does not end the criminal proceedings involving the other defendants.

The cases against Gary Jr., Elizabeth and Christina Siders remain active as authorities continue dealing with the numerous allegations surrounding the family.

The investigation has attracted national attention because of both the number of children involved and the conditions authorities said they discovered inside the Ohio residence.

For Gary Siders Sr., however, the finding that his condition is not restorable makes a future criminal trial increasingly unlikely, while the proceedings against the other members of the family continue.